Distribution of Oil and Grease in Sabah Coastal Waters in Response with Environmental Parameters Variability
Charissa Thalia Unau1, Madihah Jafar-Sidik1, Michelin Collyen Jimmy1, Muhamad Ikhlas Zabidi1, Nurzaliah Ali1, Saiyidah Munirah Mohd Shazali2

1Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, Kota Kinabalu, 88400, Malaysia

2Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Oil pollution is considered as one of the most crucial issues that need to be concerned with as it contributes to negative impacts toward the marine ecosystem. This study aims to investigate the spatial distribution of oil and grease in the coastal water at the study site and examine the correlation of OG variations with observed environmental parameters. The environmental parameters were analysed which were OG, suspended particulate matter , chlorophyll a , coloured dissolved organic matter, and nutrients. The range of OG concentration found in these rivers is 1 to 7 mg per L. For CPAs, the concentration of SPM is ranged between 6 to 60 mg per L, concentration of chl a is 1.5 to 117.2 mg per m3, and the CDOM absorption at g440 is ranged between 0.017 to 1.520 m1. As for nutrients concentration, it is observed that ammonia concentration is these rivers is ranged between 10 to 2060 microgram per L, the phosphate concentrations is ranged from 20 to 370 microgram per L, nitrite concentrations ranged from 0 to 1359 microgram per L, nitrate concentrations ranged from 52 to 3408 microgram per L and lastly total nitrogen concentrations, which is ranged from 100 to 2090 microgram per L. This study indicates the mean of SPM and nutrients, which are phosphate and nitrite of these rivers are within the range of Malaysian Marine Water Quality Standard. However, the concentration of ammonia, nitrate, and total nitrogen in the study area exceeded the limit of MMQWS. Overall, the OG concentration in seven rivers is still within the range, which is less than and equal to 4 mg per L of Malaysian Marine Water Quality Standard, which is 5 mg per L.

Keywords: oil and grease, oil pollution, water quality, MMWQS, nutrients, colour-producing agents, coastal waters

Topic: Marine Hazard, and Coastal Protection